Benjamin atkinson



(Model.)

B. ATKINSON.

GATE HINGE.

Unirse Smarts arnwr rieten..

BENJAMIN ATKINSON, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

GATE=HINGE SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 306,458, dated October 14, 1884-.

Application filed February 29, 1884. (Model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN ATKINsoN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Indianapolis, county of Marion, and State of Indiana, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Gate-Hinges5and I do declare that the following is a full, clear, and correct description of the same.

My invention relates to that class of gate and door hinges in which the weight of the gate is made the means of turning the hinge and closing the gate; and my invention consists in constructing the parts, as fully set forth hereinafter, so as to insure the positive operation and make a durable and efficient article.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspectii'e view of the hinge, showing the two parts connected. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the parts. Fig. 3 is a side view of the other part. Fig. 4 is a section on the line 1 2, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a view showing part of a fence and a gate connected by my improved hinge.

The hinge consists of two parts, A and B. In the part A, a perforated plate, a, adapted for attachment to the gate-post, carries a hollow cylinder, C, havingin the top an opening, b, and in the bottom an opening, c, the opening Z) communicating with slots c d, in line with each other, as shown. Vithin the cylinder are one or more spiral or inclined ribs, f, each of which, when there are more than one, inclines in the same direction, starting from opposite sides of the cylinder. In the part I3,

l a plate, g, perforated for attachment to the gate, carries a flat plate or arm, h, from which extends downward a pin, 7c, and lugs z' project from the opposite sides of the latter near the center of the same. The lugs t' are of such size that they can be passed through the slots c d and brought upon the ribs f, the pin 7c extend ing through the openings b c, and being guided thereby. Upon pressure being applied-to the part B, after the lugs t rest upon the ribs f, the said lugs will slide downward upon said ribs, and the pin k and the attachments thereto' will consequently descend, and will at the same time be turned so that the gate attached to the part B will be turned with the said part, the weight of the gate causing the descent of the part and its revolution. Until the gate is swung open to its full extent the parts A and B cannot be detached; but when the gate is thus opened it is only necessary to lift the same in order to carry the pins through the slots and remove one part of the hinge from the other. The cap-piece h serves to cover the openings or slots at the top of the cylinder C, and prevent the entrance of snow and the clogging of the hinge in severe weather, and as the pin 7s fits nicely the openings b c, it is guided therein, so as to prevent any friction resulting from the contactv of the lugs 11 with the inside of the cylinder.

In order that the gate may be held open without the necessity of a special latching device, each of the ribs f is provided near its upper end with adepression or recess, m, which will serve as a seat for the adjacent lug, where in it will rest until sufficient friction is applied to the gate to cause it to slip therefrom onto the inclined face of the rib. It will be seen that the hinge is thus constructed of two parts, each of which may be cast in one piece, so that there can be little difficulty in applying and adjusting the parts 'to their positions, and that these parts may be cheaply cast, and that as the pin k has two bearings, the part B is guided in its movements, so that it cannot tilt or swing out of position, thus permitting a single hinge to be empl oycd where under other circumstances two would be necessary. It will also be seen that by guiding the pin lc as described the vertical position of the gate is maintainedat all times.

Instead of casting each part in single piece, it may, ot course, be made of several pieces connected together. I however prefer the former method of manufacture in consequence of its cheapness and the absence of joints and connections.

Vithout limiting myself to the precise construction and arrangement of parts shown,

I claiml. An automatic hinge consisting ot' two parts, one provided with a hollow cylinder having one or more interior spiral ribs, and the other with an arm carrying a pin provided with lugs adapted to rest upon said ribs, substanti-ally as set forth.

2. The combination, in a hinge, of a part,

IOO

A, provided with a hollow cylinder having one or more internal spiral ribs, f, and the [o one or more internal spiral ribs With recesses plate g, carrying an arm, h, and pin 7c, adapted x, and a. part, B, provided with a pin, 7c, to the openings b c and provided with lugs i, adapted to bearings upon the partA anl prosubstantially as set forth. p vided with lugs adapted to bear upon sai ribs, T substantially as set forth. l BENJAMIN ATKD SON 3. The combination ofthe cylinder C, having a central opening, b, and slots e d, in the head, and a central opening, c, in the bottom, with Witnesses:

H. C. JORDAN, ALFRED F. PoTTs. 

